Page 25 of Burning Your Lies

Xavier

I scan over everyword on the page and scowl as I do. The edges of the paper crinkle from my tight grip on them. All that bullshit she spewed two weeks ago about forgetting and a truce was a ploy, because she wants me to bend over and give her what she wants. Her plan has not changed; just her method. She wants to steal Elise from me. Her returning has nothing to do with me or Ray. She only wants Elise and this time she’s using the law to get what she wants.Over my dead body.

“Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Brynn places a beautifully displayed fruit platter in front of me.

I sigh and rub my temples. “Savannah has served me with court papers. Joint custody of Elise.”

She stops chewing her apple. “Oh. I thought you were going to say that your company lost millions or something.”

“Do you believe that is a bigger loss?”

Her eyes widen, and she shakes her head. “No, I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant that isn’t the worst thing in the world. She clearly loves her from what I saw, and it’s not like she’s asking for full custody.”

I can’t blame Brynn for not understanding how devious Savannah is being because she doesn’t know the full story. She isn’t aware that Savannah had already tried to flee the country with her. There’s no way for her to know this is just a plot to hurt me after I tried to help her. IknowSavannah is going to fill Elise’s head with nonsense. Even that day, all that talk about Emery grated on my nerves.

“She’smydaughter. This is her home.”

She shoots a pointed stare my way. “You’re never here, Xavier. If she’s lucky, she might see you for ten minutes in the morning and before bed. I’m just saying, it might be good if she has a more … present parent available.” When I don’t respond, she shakes her head. “I apologise. It is not my business, and I have overstepped.”

I hold her hand to stop her from walking away. “You’re right. I haven’t been present in her life, but that’s only because I’m trying to build a future for her.”

Her sad smile pierces through me. “Look around, Xavier. You’ve already done that. You’ve just failed to build a home for her.” She kneels on the floor and looks up at me. “Forgive me if I am speaking out of turn, but after only three months, I look at that little girl and feel overwhelmed with love for her. She is not my daughter. I did not carry her in my womb. I did not endure hours of labour to bring her into the world. I did not nurse her.” She squeezes my hand. “But Savannah did. She has a right over Elise.”

Brynn is a rare diamond; unscratched and blindly beautiful. Brynn is the one I should have spent my life waiting for. She is my checkmate.

My thumb brushes the tops of her cheek. “Your heart is so pure.”

Her hand meets mine. “I think she’s a fool,” she whispers. “Because no matter how much I know I should run away from you, I can’t.”

I stop stroking her cheek. “Why do you want to run?”Why do you want to leave me?

She lets out a heavy breath. “Because there’s clearly some unresolved issues between you and her. And I don’t want to get tangled in that mess.”

Tucking her hair behind her ear, I smile at her. “There is no mess. Nothing like that ever happened with Savannah.” The lie feels heavy on my tongue. “She only stayed after the birth because Emery was gone, and I needed help. I promise, it was never anything more.”

“Are you sure?”

I show my commitment by kissing her. I’m soft with her, almost afraid to rumple her delicate petals. Brynn accepts our first kiss and her lips dance perfectly in sync with mine. Her eyes are closed as she finally gives into the fate I have created. And it’s everything I have wanted.

My eyes land on the papers again, and I know what I need to do.

Savannah needs to go.

“What are you doing here? Don’t tell me you want me to work today because I was just about to…” Her mouth shuts when I shove the papers into the chest. She rolls her eyes. “I see you got your papers.”

I turn on my heels and shoot daggers at her. “What the hell? What happened to forgetting the past and that fucking bullshit?”

She tosses the papers at me and crosses her arms. “I meant that. This isn’t me bringing up the past. It’s about the future and my one has Elise in it.”

“So, you’re not doing this to hurt me? To punish me?”

Another eye roll. “If I wanted to hurt you, I would have asked for full custody. I just want to see my daughter without having to ask your permission.”

“She’s not your daughter,” I seethe. “You were just a fucking parcel service.”

She steps back as if my attack was physical. Tears brim in her eyes and she shakes her head in disbelief. “You know, of all the fucked up shit you’ve done to me, I think that hurts the most. A parcel service? Is that what you’ve belittled me down to?”

I shrug, trying to ignore the stabbing in my chest from her tears. “Don’t act like it was anything more to you.”

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